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Thursday, 5 April 2018

Debits and credits, numbers, don’t be mistaken, there’s far
more to banking archives. We had a great visit to the Lloyds Banking Group Edinburgh Archives on 14 March 2018. Many thanks to the archivists there for their time and
enthusiasm.

The archive is in Sighthill, Edinburgh and is open to the public,
10am to 4pm Monday to Friday, advance bookings are needed. There is no
publically available item level catalogue but there are collection level lists. Personnel records, as you would expect, are closed for 100 years and some business
records for shorter periods.

The records

People crop up in bank records in three main ways, as
customers, shareholders and staff, each with their own records.

Customers

Archie keeping a watchful eye (K.Keter)

In the early days there were no branches, only the main office
in Edinburgh. Lending decisions for the first 100 years or so were therefore
noted in the Bank of Scotland’s minutes. There is a complete run from 1695 and
they are generally very well kept with a margin index. Entries include the name
of guarantors too so are potentially very useful. Similarly the bank’s head office ledgers for the earlier
years include details of transactions with individuals and companies.

The branch network began to develop from around the 1770s.
Branch ledgers are indexed with name and type of business noted. Unfortunately
they survive for only the early years of each branch.

From the insurance side there are policy ledgers from
1824-1940s. Health issues are noted but not the beneficiaries.

Shareholders

The Bank of Scotland was founded by an act of the Scottish
Parliament in 1695 and the original lists of subscribers, signed at inns in
Edinburgh and London, both survive. There are printed lists of
shareholders/subscribers from 1697-1950 and it is possible to track sales and
purchases of shares.

Staff

Most complete for the Bank of Scotland, partial for other
businesses, but generally very good. They go back to the 1730s but tail off by the 1920s/30s. To use these records you need to know the branch at which the
ancestor was employed as that then gives access to information on their role, salary (from the 1830s) and any transfers, so it could be possible to
work forward or backward. You may also be fortunate enough to find a staff
report: “writes a fair hand” and “well qualified for manager of a country
branch” were some of those we saw. These reports were for staff below the level
of agent (manager) and occasionally contain rather controversial information!

The agent was responsible for entries in the branch
procedure books, a log of the branch activity, detailing hiring and firing,
repairs, new furniture and the like. Not all survive but they can include
information on customers and loans made to them.

The Widows Fund (Bank of Scotland only) records, 1821 to 1883 could be a good source for pre-1855 births. It was a contributory scheme so as well as employees’ details,
names of wives’, date of marriage, names and birth dates of children were also
listed.

Where do we start?? (J. Russell)

In general

For ancestors with bank accounts or an insurance policy
(does the inventory after they died mention one?), or, even better, who worked
in a bank, there is probably lots to discover here. Armed with dates and places
and perhaps time to do detailed searches, you could discover gold (sorry couldn't resist that pun). Find out more

Monday, 12 February 2018

We had a very healthy attendance of seventeen members of The
Scottish Genealogy Network who attended
the latest SGN event on Saturday, 3 February 2018 with a visit to Perth and Kinross Archives.For anyone who has
not previously visited these archives, they
are located in the AK Bell Library.

Courtesy of Michelle Leonard

Located on the main road into Perth town centre from the south-west, the AK Bell Library is a large standalone building, built in the 1830s, recognisable by its classical facade. The building originally housed the County Infirmary but has been extensively renovated to provide modern facilities for both the Library and Archives

The good news is that there is car parking in the grounds of the building (£4 for 4 hours) as well as ample car parks nearby. Even better is that the building not only has its own coffee shop but one large enough to accommodate all of the attending members of Scottish Genealogy Network at the start of the visit. Where else were we going to meet?

We were welcomed to the building by Dr Nicola Cowmeadow, the Local History Officer with Perth & Kinross Council.

Courtesy of Lorna Kinnaird

Throughout the visit, Nicola demonstrated a wonderful enthusiasm for her work. The archives section is located separately to the Local and Family History section in the Library although both are located on the first floor of the building and it was clear there is good coordination between both departments.

Courtesy of Lorna Kinnaird

The first session was led by Colin Proudfoot of the Local and Family History section in the Library. Again members were impressed by the enthusiasm demonstrated by Colin throughout his presentation. When considering local research it is often easy to simply go straight to the local archives carry out your research without first considering what may be available in the library. For any genealogist researching a connection in the Perth and Kinross area that would certainly be an error. The Local and Family History Section has a broad range of materials and collections readily available and not restricted to the Perth area. Colin had a number on display and invited members to browse these at their leisure.

The library's
approach in recent years has been to obtain a wide range of family and local
history records and sources but including those not solely related to the Perth
and Kinross area. The library has
available OPRs for the Perth area as well as a number covering areas out with.
In addition, they have copies of
the Scotland-wide Calendar of Confirmations & Inventories from 1876 – 1936
as well as a good collection of Post Office Directories from the late 19th
century which are primarily covering
Perth but also other areas of Scotland.
There is also an extensive range of local newspapers and local interest
books as well as published genealogies.

Courtesy of Michelle Leonard

Courtesy of Michelle Leonard

A couple of examples on show
were Crieff in the Great War and A History of Blairgowrie. Both books were rich in detail on the local history and would be of great interest to
someone researching a family in these towns with many residents and local
characters mentioned in the text.

The archives and library have been assisted by a number of
volunteers who have helped to index small local collections which are available
for consultation in the library for researchers. The library also holds a good collection of local maps, some,
but not all of which are in the National Library of Scotland Collection. Colin also reported on how the library is prioritising the purchase of Monumental
Inscription collections including those from outwith the Perth area.

We then moved into the archives section which sits adjacent
to the Local and Family History Section.
Nicola took us on a tour of their facilities and in particular the
strong room where the bulk of the collections are held. Nicola provided information on what records
are held and it was clear to members that the archives and archivists are
pro-active in engaging with other private collections in the area to support
their work and the preservation of their collections. The group even learned a little about cow
genealogy!!!

Courtesy of Michelle Leonard

Back in the main archive office,
we were shown examples of the Trade Incorporation and Apprentice Records. Perth has a particularly good collection of
these records with some dating back to 1300s.
The detail of information contained in these documents means that these would be a wonderful resource
for someone researching an ancestor who may have been a member of these trades
or an apprentice in Perth.

Courtesy of Michelle Leonard

The Archives appear have adopted an open approach to visitor
access. Whilst enquires can be made on spec it is, of course, best to contact
staff in advance of any visit and they be able to assist as much as they can. A good element of this archive is that
storage of documents is on site so problems of storage off-site is not an issue at these Archives. Certainly, a number of members who had visited these archives in
the past spoke of the assistance and professionalism shown by the staff
members.

In the final half hour,
members were able to browse the collections in both the Archives and the Local
and Family History Society. The meeting
concluded with a vote of thanks to Nicola and Colin for their co-operation and
informative presentation. Members were very impressed by the services being
offered by Perth and Kinross Council at the Archives and Library and it was reassuring that at a time when local authority
budgets cuts are having a negative impact on the availability of local history and cultural services that these
services in Perth are in such good hands.

Details of the services at Perth and Kinross Council can be
found HERE including access to the online catalogue although during the visit it was
emphasised that not all of its collections have been catalogued and it is
always best to call and speak to the archivist first.

Monday, 20 November 2017

On Friday 17 November we held our CPD day in Edinburgh. The background and experience of our members varies greatly: some work in archives, while others lecture at university. Some members have been helping clients research their family tree for many years and others are planning to start their business soon. This diversity made for a great day and wonderful networking opportunities.

Our meeting on Friday was held in the Dome Room of New Register House. This impressive space was created to house the birth, marriage and death records of the Scottish people. You can see the volumes in the photographs; red for births, green for marriages and black for deaths.

For many years now, users have accessed digital images of the records. That is certainly a lot more convenient and preserves the books, but as a group of genealogists, there was something special about sitting in a room surrounded by such a wealth of history.

Our secretary, Emma Maxwell, introduced our first speaker, Jack Davis. Jack spoke to us on the intriguing theme, “Hidden Hospitals”. He was not referring to camouflaged buildings but rather the policy of substituting the name of institutions on certificates with a simple street address. Jack gave us a list of Glasgow hospital addresses, such as 2154 Gartloch Road and 253 Duke Street. When researching it’s a good tip to research the address given on a birth or death certificate.

The Dome - New Register House

Michelle Leonard continued the morning session by answering questions related to using DNA in family history research. This fascinating quick-fire session covered a lot of topics. An interesting point that stood out was the need to think through ‘cousin matching’. This useful tool can aid family history research but as DNA does reveal the truth, you could discover something unexpected. Most genealogists may be excited about that prospect, but it’s always best to think it through before you take the plunge.

Jane Barton rounded off the first part of the day with a report from the Cumbrian Family History Society conference which she had attended recently. Cumbria has a border with the counties of Dumfriesshire and Roxburghshire in Scotland and there has always been a lot of movement of people across the Border. Jane gave a helpful overview of the administrative history of what is now called Cumbria, where to find records and why people may have moved to places like Carlisle.

A large part of the day was now given over to a treasure hunt. Rather than simply sitting and listening to talks it was time to get the grey matter working. We split into teams and tried to solve genealogy puzzles based on real client enquires. The most successful teams drew on the knowledge of the group and researched well using the catalogue of the National Records of Scotland (NRS).

Getting Ready for ‘Two Minute Mayhem'

After lunch genealogists Graham and Emma Maxwell, from Scottish Indexes, presented the answers, demonstrating the importance of using the excellent NRS catalogue well and not giving up when something is not in an index. For example, not all surviving Scottish wills are to be found on the ScotlandsPeople indexes. If you think the person would have had a will, remember to use other sources such as the Register of Deeds and local Sheriff Court Registers of Deeds.

Next Emma Maxwell revealed the results of the SGN survey. Only 11% of those surveyed want a genealogist to present the results in the format of a report or a chart. Over 30% want help to access specific records.

When asked, “If you were to hire a genealogist, what would you look for?”, only 11%said “Someone who has studied genealogy at university”, while over 50% said “I would want to discuss my needs with them and judge for myself if they are the person I need.”

After looking at the results of the survey in detail we split into workshops to discuss how we can best provide the services clients want. To finish the day we had a ‘Two Minute Mayhem' session where members spoke on a subject of their choice for two minutes!

Monday, 10 April 2017

John Burt is a Scottish Genealogy Network member and we are very pleased to see the release of his new book: Lunatics, Imbeciles and Idiots: A History of Insanity in Nineteenth-Century Britain and Ireland.

The book provides details of the development and expansion of 19C asylums, with analysis of how they were established, run, and what they were like to live and work in.

This handy guide explores what asylum records are available and how to use them so that you can truly understand the lives your ancestors led. John's medical background gives this book a unique perspective.

Staff outing from the Montrose Royal Asylum

Many people who were admitted to a lunatic asylum were paupers, that is the treatment was paid for by their Parochial Board of Settlement. To get a really rounded out picture of your ancestor's life you can also trace their poor law application which would likely have been made around the same time.

Records like these help us learn more than dry facts, they help us get to know our ancestors and find out how they lived.

The book is available from amazon.co.uk in hardcover and digital formats.

Friday, 17 February 2017

Scattered through the archives of Scotland are documents and memories that our ancestors left behind. When we start tracing our family tree we begin with birth, marriage, death and census records but then we need more! We need to look at a variety of records to really find out what our ancestors were like, what they did and how they lived.

The Scottish Genealogy Network (SGN) encourages its members to keep learning, keep advancing as genealogists so that they can provide a higher standard of service to their clients. Today around 20 SGN members met at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG) to tour the building and delve into their collections.

It may be an historic building butin front of their ancient portraitsthey are teaching the physiciansof tomorrow!

The RCPSG has existed as an institution for over 400 years! It is little wonder then that the records they hold are extensive and unique. As a forward-looking organisation they are also working to make some of their valuable material available online (for free) and their library is open to the public. If you are planning to visit, it is wise to contact them beforehand so that they can ensure everything you would like to consult is available.

Our visit began with a tour of the prestigious building. The first room we were shown was the David Livingstone Room. In that room there is a cast of one of the Doctor’s bones! As we moved through the college, hanging on the walls are portraits of presidents past as well as other notable physicians and surgeons. You may wonder then, with all these illustrious individuals so obviously connected to the college, is there any reason for me to visit? Yes, there is!

The Crush Hall

There are three main reasons a genealogist (amateur or professional) should visit the college. Firstly, you may want to research one of the past members. The records they hold on past members will help with your research. The photographs show some examples of what the college holds. The second reason is that not only does the college hold records of those treating the ill but also they hold some records of those being treated! Amongst the records, for example, is a “Register of Inoculations, Glasgow 1832-1854”, if your family was living in Glasgow they may well appear in the records. The third reason is this, even if there is no direct reference to your ancestor it is good to build up your knowledge of social history. Understanding our ancestors means imagining the circumstances in which they lived so that we can research their lives and walk in their footsteps.

Monday, 7 March 2016

“You know what I am going to say. I love you.” This, I believe was, the feeling of our entire group for the Special Collections Centre of the Sir Duncan Rice Library when we finished our visit last Friday.

Architecturally stunning, the Sir Duncan Rice Library stands out amongst the university buildings. Once inside the scale of the library can be truly appreciated. Standing in the atrium you can look up and see 7 floors above you. On the ground floor is a Welcome Desk, gallery, café and other amenities. The upper floors contain the university library and offer generous study space.

We were met by Andrew Macgregor, the Deputy Archivist, who combined a tour of the Special Collections Centre and a tour of the collections. Andrew began by showing us the Gallery which will soon be proudly displaying their set of first edition Dickens novels. You may recognise my opening quote as being that of Bradley Headstone in ‘Our Mutual Friend’. Once downstairs in one of the archive’s seven store rooms we were shown all the volumes which were ready and waiting to go on display. Rather than being sourced from a single collection, they have come from a variety of collections found in castles and private homes which have been acquired over the years: only recently has it become apparent that there is a complete set of first editions (perhaps if I look in my library I will find that I happen to have a complete set of first editions!). This is a small insight into the way that the material has been collected over the last 531 years; they now have well over a million items!

As a group of genealogists, we were keen to hear what they hold that was of special interest to family historians and how we can access it. Andrew covered the major collections that the Special Collections Centre at the Sir Duncan Rice Library. In this blog I will focus on those of particular interest to genealogists. To get a complete overview of their holdings I would suggest spending some time going through the catalogue and reading their fact sheets.

After being given an introduction to the archive by Andrew, he took us past the reading room along a corridor to the store rooms. For genealogists this is usually our favourite part of a tour, going behind the scenes and being surrounded by all the wonderful records and books. It has to be said that this archive did not disappoint and on every shelf there was something to interest us.

‘Register of Operations’

We were joined at this point by Fiona Musk, who is the archivist of the NHS Grampian Archive. Fiona took us to their section in one of the store rooms and showed us some of the amazing records that they hold. The archive includes the records of the hospitals of the north east that were taken over by the NHS in 1948; including the records such as those of the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, the Royal Cornhill Hospital as well as many other hospitals and institutions in the wider area. Some of the information that they hold, particularly the 20th century material, is very sensitive and laws on Data Protection need to be followed carefully. Fiona is keen, though, to help users access records wherever appropriate. My eye was drawn to a set of volumes entitled ‘Register of Operations’. Fiona allowed us to look at an old volume. As you can see in the image (names have been obscured) the volume tells us the ‘disease’ of each individual and the nature of the operation, fascinating information which could not be found in any other record. There are patient registers for many hospitals. Whilst some work has been done to index these records, as the records are so extensive if your ancestor (or client’s ancestor) died in a hospital in the Grampian region, it would be well worth checking the catalogue to see if any records survive.

Conservation

As we moved through the store rooms Andrew pulled out treasure after treasure, some of which you can see in the photos. The next stop on our tour was the conservation department, a beautiful large space where repairs are made on ancient books and documents, enabling most of the collection to continue to be available for consultation by readers.

Treasures from the Archive

The archive was now closing for the day and all the readers had left the reading room, so we now headed into that large airy space. The archive has a large collection of books on the open shelves, which is very useful as it speeds up access for research. As you can see from the photographs, it has been designed to be a light, pleasant environment. As always I had to ask the question, “Do you allow users to photograph your records?” As we have come to expect from all modern archives, yes they do. You do need to check with staff to ensure each item is suitable and obtain permission before publication, but these are standard requirements.

Even if you were not present for our visit of the Special Collections Centre of the Sir Duncan Rice Library, I’m sure you can now understand why I began this report in the way I did. We can only wish that more archives across Scotland could have such excellent facilities!

To keep up-to-date with the SGN and see more photos from our archive visits follow us on Facebook.

Friday, 29 January 2016

Our first visit for 2016 was to the Search Room of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), now part of Historic Environment Scotland which incorporates both the old RCAHMS and Historic Scotland.

On our arrival we were greeted by Philip Graham who showed us to the Search Room and introduced us to the wealth of material held there. RCAHMS holdings include:

The National Collection of Aerial Photography – buildings, city scapes, archaeological sites - not just of UK sites but worldwide, dating back to the 1920s (needs an appointment to view)

Photographs - around 2.5 million – from early glass slides in the 1850s to present day, town centres to historic houses and monuments, including images taken for Country Life some of which were not actually featured in the magazine

Drawings – over 2 million, dating from the 17th century to the present day, including architects plans for houses

Digital Collections – 3D digitisation is currently being used to record Scottish world heritage sites, and scan buildings

In his talk Philip focused especially on information that might be useful to us as genealogists, and demonstrated how, although it is not possible to search their database for a family name (apart from specific collections), some very interesting information can be found about the places that those families would have lived – old maps, photographs of buildings, changes in areas over time, family photograph albums some dating back to the 1700s (of which they have over 500, some with family names included), and drawings of monuments and gravestones some dating from the 1600s.

We were shown historic and recent photographs of the same place eg: a series of 6 photographs of the east end of Princes Street showing the changes over time in the use of the roof of the Waverley Market – gardens, car park, shops etc., and photographs of old buildings before, during and after renovation, along with architects floor plans. We could all imagine how thrilled descendants would be to see that sort of information about the places their ancestors had lived and worked, and some of the places mentioned were currently being researched by members of the group.

We were then taken to the Print Room where we gazed in awe at the old books on the shelves – eager to get our hands on them. These were not available for public browsing but could be produced if requested. There we were shown a number of fascinating items including albums of gravestones photographed by Betty Willsher in the late 1900s; a family history scrapbook belonging to Thomas Davidson (a palaeontologist in 1817) with scraps, watercolours, notes and plans; a box of photographs and drawings of Archaeological sites – part of the Collection of the Society of Antiquities of Scotland; copies of property sale documents; and postcard collections.

Before we left we had a short time to browse the collections ourselves and left vowing to return very soon. Our thanks go to Philip for a really interesting and helpful afternoon.

The Search Room is open Tuesday to Friday (9.30am -5pm) and there is always a member of staff available to assist. Browse 700,000 boxed photographic prints, 24,000 library books, 60 series of journals and periodicals and 3,700 maps, search the catalogue on a computer terminal, or request items which will be delivered at 12 noon on the day (or order in advance from the online catalogue). A copier is available, high resolution prints can be purchased, and licences can be obtained for their use if required (price list online).

The RCAHMS website http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/ (will be changing in April 2016) allows access to eight different databases the main one being Canmore, but also SCRAN, the Buildings at Risk Register, Pastmap, HLAmap, Scotlands Places, Britain Above and The National Collection of Aerial Photography. From within Canmore a number of photographic collections and family albums can be viewed online.